


Of Elixirs & Love

by Ellemae



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, F/F, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-22
Updated: 2013-11-22
Packaged: 2018-01-02 08:03:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 3,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1054405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellemae/pseuds/Ellemae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Regina wants to control the Sheriff, but for some reason that she can't explain she doesn't want to take her heart. What's an Evil Queen to do?</p><p>A romantic tale born out of cider, hard-won honesty, and drunken exploits.</p><p> </p><p>(Set during Season One, before the curse breaks. Slightly AU; Regina has access to basic magic. Slow-burn Swan Queen)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Emma's eyes have slipped closed, but she still responds as the crystal cut glass taps against her lips. She opens her mouth and swallows obediently. It tastes so good, sweet and smooth and just a little dangerous. And Emma does love to drink.

No, actually, Emma loves to get drunk. Only difference is she normally does it with a cheap bottle of vodka alone on a Friday night.

Right now it's not vodka and she's not alone.

If it was vodka she probably wouldn't be drinking anymore. If she was alone she certainly wouldn't be. She got too dizzy to hold the glass two drinks ago. Even as she tried to bring the delicious liquid to her mouth her hand shook and her vision blurred and she's pretty sure she dropped the glass on the clean white carpet.

Even drunk she feels bad about that, she's sure cider stains.

Mmm cider. She's distracted when the glass taps her lip again and she takes a thankful gulp. Then another and another.

She blinks her eyes open slowly, meeting the hazy brown ones that are staring down at her. She wants to say thanks but all she can manage is a slurred "thirsstyyy" because god she needs more cider.

Regina can't help but smile down at the sheriff. Emma is slumped on her couch, drifting lower and lower as her intoxication grows. Right now her bottom is almost off the couch, her long legs splayed awkwardly on the floor, which Regina takes to mean it's almost done.

Regina's feeling more than a little tipsy herself. Initially the only way she could get Emma to drink was by drinking with her. Not ideal, but the plan wouldn't work any other way.

Regina just needs Emma to pass out. She needs the cider to invade every inch of Ms. Swan's body so the toxin can really take hold.

"Dwunk," Emma giggles after obediently taking another sip of cider.

"Yes, dear," Regina agrees. "But the lovely thing about my cider is you can get as drunk as you want and never get a hangover."

"No," Emma looks at her with wide eyes. She hiccups. 

"No hangover," Regina agrees.

"Awesome," Emma slurs, and she eagerly guzzles down the glass of cider Regina offers.

Moments later Emma is slumped in a pile on the floor.

Regina's goal isn't to kill her but control (and perhaps ultimately destroy) her, so she uses magic to lift the sheriff onto the sofa then covers her with a throw.

Once that's done Regina stumbles up the stairs, enjoying the hum of her alcohol high coupled with sweet success.


	2. Chapter Two

When Emma wakes up in the morning it takes her a minute to remember where she is. Glancing around the ornate room, eyes narrowing as she soaks in the high bookcases and crystal bookends that she probably wouldn't be able to afford if she stopped eating for a month, it suddenly all comes rushing back. She was really drunk (wonderfully, deliciously, forget all your troubles drunk) last night and--she swallows tentatively before exhaling a sigh of relief--apart from a dry mouth and bursting bladder she feels 100% fine. For once apparently Regina told her the truth. 

As she jumps from the sofa and rushes toward the bathroom, relishing the fact that her head is clear, all she can think is: damn Regina would make a fortune if she sold that cider.

But the second she leaves the mansion all thoughts of cider and drunken exploits are pushed aside by duties like work and motherhood.

Emma keeps her mouth full of burger at lunch so she can chew and swallow and listen to her kid instead of interrupting him with the novel idea that maybe his Mom's not so bad. 

She focuses on her paperwork for once, because Regina actually helped her let go and have fun last night and she probably owes her some form of thanks.

It's not until the early evening, when the winter sun starts to set and it's almost time to leave work, that Emma's mouth starts to water. 

She remembers the rich taste of the cider and the wonderful warmth that it made in her stomach as she swallowed it. 

Or at least she thinks she remembers it. 

She could really use some of it now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please review...it encourages me to write faster!


	3. Chapter Three

When her doorbell rings all Regina can think is "that took long enough".

Still, she pastes a look of surprise on her face as she yanks open her front door, "Miss Swan?"

"Um yeah, hi Regina," Emma rocks back onto her heels as she offers the Mayor a tentative grin. Shoving her hands in her pockets she risks meeting Regina's eyes, "I was thinking, I mean wondering..."

Emma trails off and even though Regina would normally take great pleasure in the bumbling mess that is a blushing sheriff with windswept curls and darting eyes, for some reason she takes pity and interrupts. "Oh do come in," she steps backward and Emma hesitantly follows. It's reminiscent of leading a skittish horse to water and Regina has to work overtime to keep her mask in place. "Would you like a drink?" 

"God yes!"

She lets the Sheriff have two glasses instead of the one she'd intended because the girl did please her by showing up so promptly.

The cider's strong enough that even after two glasses Emma is blurry eyed.

"Perhaps we can make this a regular thing?" Regina suggests as she leads the slightly intoxicated sheriff to the door.

"Yeah," Emma says with only the slightest slur.

"Excellent, dear." Regina offers a real smile that makes Emma's insides sing.

Emma's still a little dizzy by the time she's reached the apartment she shares with Mary-Margaret but truth be told it's wearing off faster than she'd like.

"Where have you been?" Mary-Margaret asks from her seat on the sofa, pretty much the second the door swings open.

"Out." Emma struggles to remove her boots.

"Out where?" Mary-Margaret asks.

"With Regina."

"With Regina? Emma you know you can't trust her. Look at you! Have you been drinking? I bet it's just a ploy to prove that you're an unfit mother."

"Gee Mary-Margaret calm down, Regina's my friend." 

Mary-Margaret stands up and walks toward Emma, placing both hands on her shoulders. "Your friend who got you drunk!"

"I'm not drunk...yet! And you're my roommate not my mother." Emma pushes past her and heads to her room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it isn't clear, this is slow burn Swan Queen. I apologize, I know you're eager.


	4. Chapter Four

This time when she wakes up she knows two things. First, she knows exactly where she is and second, she's definitely hungover this time. 

Emma's sprawled on top of her bed, still wearing most of the clothes she came home in last night. The empty bottle of vodka on her floor is definitely to blame for her pounding headache. 

After fighting with Mary-Margaret she'd stumbled into her room and immediately crouched down on her hands and knees in order to dig under her bed. 

Despite the fact that she tried to run away from the foster system years ago, she's been unable to escape the method of packing she learned as a kid. And that's where she found the nearly empty bottle of vodka...stuffed into a garbage bag under her bed that she hadn't even glanced in since her first night in Storybrooke. 

With the buzz of cider already flooding her system the vodka had gone down easily. Too easily maybe. She just felt so torn between her friends. She has so few people she really trusts.

Emma's not sure when she started thinking of Regina as a friend or, god forbid, someone she trusts but apparently that's the truth. She imagines that the torn feeling she experienced last night is similar to when kids feel pulled between divorced parents. Then again, what would she know, she has no parents to think of.

When she sees that Mary-Margaret's put out Tylenol and a glass of water on the table she feels a surge of regret.

There must be some way to have both Regina and Mary-Margaret, right?

Whatever happened between them can't possibly be that bad.


	5. Chapter Five

When the doorbell rings Emma forces herself out of bed, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Turns out she hasn't had to deal with a hangover in a while and she doesn't like them at all. After throwing up a couple of times she definitely wishes she'd just stuck with Regina's cider. She ended up calling in sick to work, but now her doorbell's ringing so she sucks it up and answers the door.

The kid's at the other side with an eager grin on his face. It fades a little when he takes in Emma, rumpled and pale in front of him. Still, just as quickly as his grin has a chance to fade it's back again full force. "Emma!" He crows, and she has to use her best bounty hunter acting skills to avoid cowering away from his voice. 

"Hey kid, what's up?" She asks, swallowing a wave of nausea.

"Mom said I can spend the day with you! Like she actually gave me permission. I mean, I'm sure it's part of her plan, but it's cool cause it gives us time to work on Operation Cobra."

"Woah kid," Emma holds her hands out in an attempt to get the kid to calm the fuck down, "Give me a minute, okay?"

He looks incredibly disappointed and in that moment Emma knows she can't turn him away, can't say no to him, because she doesn't want to see that look ever again.

So she swallows her nausea again and smiles at him. "I'd love to spend the day with you."

She's never drinking again.

Except by the time six pm rolls around she's thinking of that cider again. In fact, she can't really think of anything else. Her mouth is literally watering, even though Henry is explaining the best way to play Mario Cart around a mouth full of pepperoni pizza.

"Let's bring your mom some pizza."

She's pretty sure she interrupted him, but he's so shocked by the idea he doesn't even notice. 

"My mom doesn't eat pizza."

That actually doesn't surprise her at all. "Come on kid, everyone loves pizza. We'll bring her a slice as a sign of good will."

Henry looks aghast.

Emma ignores his expression and jumps to her feet, already grabbing the pizza box and heading to the door.

"Um Emma," he calls from behind her.

She glances backward, still heading toward the door, honestly wondering why they haven't left already.

"Don't you need shoes?"


	6. Chapter Six

Regina stares down at the piece of pizza. She's nervously chewing on her lower lip as though she's waiting for it to leap forward and make a grease stain on her silk blouse.

Emma can't help but chuckle, smiling at Regina as she swallows a sip of cider. 

"I've never had pizza," Regina admits.

"What?" Emma almost chokes on her mouthful of cider. "Seriously Regina, who are you?"

Regina just quirks an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Emma smiles at her, "actually I really would."

Regina stares blankly for a second surprised because Emma's sentiment sounds honest. But no one has ever really taken the time to get to now her for her. No one since Daniel anyway.

Emma nods adamantly. "I'm going to really try."

Regina feels nervous because honestly? She believes her. 

She tentatively takes a bite of pizza and she can't help but return the smile that Emma flashes her way.


	7. Chapter Seven

She doesn't think of the cider again until Ruby drops off her lunch the next day. But honestly it's grilled cheese and French fries and cider would taste so good with that so who can blame her.

Of course thinking about cider makes her think about Regina so she leans forward and asks Ruby, "What do you know about Regina?"

"What do you mean?" Ruby looks genuinely puzzled.

"Um I don't know...what does she do besides government crap?"

"She's the mayor."

"Yesss," Emma drags the word out, "but that would fall under government crap."

"She's just the mayor." Ruby repeats it again like she's a CD that can't stop skipping.

"And what about friends? A boyfriend? Hobbies?"

"Oh," Ruby looks relieved like she's found a magic answer. "She's friends with Kathryn."

"What'd she do before she was mayor?"

Ruby shrugs and steals one of Emma's fries. "I can't ever remember her not being mayor. I guess you can ask Kathryn?"

How it's possible that people know less about Regina then they do about Emma, who grew up in the system and doesn't even know her real last name and got shuttled around before she could make friends, is a real mystery. 

One that Emma's going to solve.

As soon as she drinks some cider. 

 

Emma downs the first half of the glass ten seconds after it's handed to her. She only stops when she sees Regina's raised eyebrow.

"What?" She asks somewhat petulantly.

"Considering that's your only glass I just think you ought to relish it a bit more, that's all dear."

"What do you mean?" Emma can't stop herself from taking a small sip. "You have a shit ton of this stuff."

"Yes, as you so eloquently put it, I do have more. But dear, remember how strong it is. I don't want to send you home intoxicated every night. Henry hardly needs an alcoholic for a mother."

"Jesus Regina," Emma rolls her eyes. 

"Wait? Did you just refer to me as Henry's mother?"

Regina looks appalled.


	8. Chapter Eight

She believes her plan is working. The girl shows up promptly for her nightly dose of cider.

They make small talk, which wasn't part of the original plan, but it's not so horrible to have someone to talk to.

She's still not sure how well it's worked though. She wants complete control over the sheriff, the kind of control she'd get if she took her heart but that would be too obvious. 

Henry would certainly notice if his beloved savior lost her heartbeat.

Also, for some odd reason she doesn't really want to take Emma's--Miss Swan's, she corrects herself--heart.

"I'm going out of town on a business trip."

Henry narrows his eyes at her. "You never go out of town."

She waves his concern aside. "Before you were born I used to go away all the time, it has just been impossible as a single mother, but now Emma is here."

"I get to stay with Emma? Sweet!" Suddenly all of his suspicions are forgotten. 

It causes a pain in her chest, to see how eager he suddenly is to get rid of her. Still, it will certainly make everything go more smoothly.


	9. Chapter Nine

"You want the kid to stay with me for the weekend?" Even through the phone Emma's anxiety echoes.

"Surely you can manage that? If you hadn't abandoned him you'd have had him every weekend after all."

"Regina." The mix of exasperation and hurt in her voice is clear.

Regina clears her throat. "I'm sorry." Because oddly enough she is.

Instantly Emma is back to her typical self. "No biggie."

Regina rolls her eyes. "I left you a little parting gift dear."

"Huh?"

"Check in your desk drawer."

Emma pulls open the drawer and grins at the silver flask that's inside. She's not even going to ask how Regina got it into her locked drawer.

"I'll be gone for three nights, so I put three nights worth in there."

"Thanks Regina, that's really sweet." There's a slight pause as Emma strokes her finger across the flask. "I'll miss you too."

Regina certainly was not trying to be sweet.

And she won't miss the sheriff. Certainly not. At all.


	10. Chapter Ten

When Ruby drops off her lunch Emma remembers how she thought cider would taste really good with it.

So, glancing furtively around her empty office, she takes a swig from the flask.

She was right. Delicious.

Then later, when she's bored with paperwork she takes another swig. Just to take the edge off.

Then she remembers she won't see Regina at all tonight, and she's basically a mother now, so she takes a couple swigs for good behavior.

By the time Mrs. Ferguson calls about her cat being stuck in a tree the flask is empty. 

Cat in a tree. She groans, she has to pee. 

Then she can't stop laughing at the rhyme: cat in a tree, gotta pee.

It's only about two pm, so she takes a quick cat nap (she falls into hysterics again over that one) before she has to pick up Henry from school.

"Mom?" Something hard pokes her in the back. "Mom?"

She lifts her head off her desk and wipes away the puddle of drool that's on her chin. 

Since when does the kid call her mom?

"Hey," she yawns. Thank god for no hangovers.

"You forgot me," he pouts but he doesn't seem very upset.

"Sorry Henry," she bites her lip, feeling bad, "I'm new at this mom thing."

"That's okay Mom, David made me this sword!" He whips a wooden sword (so that's what was poking her) through the air.

She's not sure what to address first. The wooden sword made by the guy who's cheating on his wife with her roommate (she's pretty positive Regina would frown at everything in that sentence) or the fact that Henry's calling her mom. 

Never mind. This is Regina Mills she's thinking about.

"Um Henry, what's with calling me mom?"

"Well, Regina's gone now, and you're my real mom anyway."

Oh Jesus. Too bad she already drank that cider.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you can't tell I'm not a huge fan of Henry (even, or maybe particularly, after what happened in last week's episode). Unfortunately I'm having a hard time controlling that frustration so it may come out in my writing...just a little :)


	11. Chapter Eleven

By ten pm that night she's missing Regina desperately. The kid won't shut up about the curse and he won't go to bed and she doesn't know how Regina deals with this day in and day out.

"Go to bed, Henry."

"But I'm hungry."

"Make yourself a sandwich."

"But you're my mom! You need to make me snack."

She doubts Regina puts up with this shit.

She caves, but only a little. "If you go to bed right now I'll take you to Granny's in the morning and you can order whatever you want."

"Deal!" And he scampers off to bed.

Well, that was...easy.

Not for the first time that night she wishes she hadn't drained that flask. Still, there's always other alcohol to be had

Once she's sure Henry's asleep (she's not the worst mom in the world, and Mary-Margaret is sleeping right next door) she slips out of the apartment.

The Rabbit Hole is pulsing with a steady beat and Emma finds her eyes drawn to Ruby, scantily clad and writhing on the dance floor.

Everyone's thrilled to see her, though she knows full well it's largely because she's the sheriff and they'll want something out of her soon.

Still, she's not gonna say no to all the free drinks. She pounds back shot after shot, each one handed to her by a town's person as a sign of good will. She can't say no, that'd be disrespectful.

Also, the drinks are dulling the intense desire for Regina's cider.

Finally there's a lull in the drinks being handed to her and she catches sight of Ruby on the dance floor again, dark hair streaming behind her as she undulates her hips.

Emma doesn't really lean that way, but she's feeling adventurous tonight so she stumbles onto the dance floor.

She grabs Ruby's outstretched hand and twirls around her, giggling. 

Emma stops laughing when she feels Ruby's ass grind against her. She stands still and just takes it, until she can't help herself and starts to pant.

Ruby takes that as a sign, and tugs Emma off the dance floor. 

They end up in the alley behind the Rabbit Hole and Ruby pushes Emma against the brick wall and kisses her. 

Emma's so drunk that this seems like the best idea ever. And when Ruby encourages her to touch her boobs she fondles them eagerly.

Regina has boobs, her hazy mind reminds her. 

Regina has boobs and dark hair (like Ruby) and kissing Regina'd probably be amazing.

Ruby sticks her hand down Emma's pants and Emma moans "Regina"

Ruby yanks her hand away instantly, a shadow of hurt on her face. "Seriously Emma?"

Emma has the good grace to blush. "Sorry Rubes" she mumbles.

Ruby leaves in a huff.

(So Emma can't help but think of Regina again)

She's proud when she manages to get (very unsteadily) to her feet .

One more drink (to quiet the throbbing need for Regina and cider) and then she'll head home.

The bartender looks hesitant but he serves her (cause she's the sheriff) and she drinks eagerly.

Then she stumbles and sways and giggles her way down the empty streets of Storybrooke.

She's apparently a Mom now and she needs to get home to her kid.

"Shhh," she giggles at the door as it slams shut. Moms don't wake up their kids at three in the morning because they're drunk. Not the good ones anyway.

Her head is swimming and she barely manages to make it to her room, collapsing face first onto her bed. Thank god Henry's sleeping on the couch.

Thinking of Henry makes her think of Regina and without much thought at all her hips begin to rock against the comforter that's bunched below her from the bed she forgot to make.

Regina watches through the mirror on the sheriff's dresser completely puzzled. What is she doing? It's not until she hears a low moan and her own name escape the sheriff' slips that it occurs to her. Emma Swan is self-gratifying and thinking of her. 

The thought is degrading and disgusting. 

Regina ignores the sudden moisture between her thighs.


End file.
